


An officer and a killer

by SonicGavel



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Ed's a rookie cop, Kristen dies differently, M/M, Smut, alternate profession, mentions of abuse, mentions of drug use and drug abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-04
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-20 01:31:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15523104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonicGavel/pseuds/SonicGavel
Summary: Ed's a rookie cop who gets Kristen's boyfriend arrested for domestic abuse and earns Jim and Harvey's respect. Os is still Os. What happens, though, when they meet during a ride-along with Jim and Harvey looking for a perp that Os kills when said perp wanders into the patch of woods Os is hiding in and Ed's in hot pursuit?





	1. Ed's journey to Protect and Serve

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Nygmobblepot gifset](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/402717) by tampire.tumblr.com. 



> Inspired by a gifset I saw on Tumblr. I hope y'all like it and please comment.

Ed didn't plan on becoming a police officer. He thought he could just move on from his past as a victim of child abuse, go to college as a Biomechanical Engineer and just live his life in peace. But one night, a young girl in his apartment had knocked on his door in his dorm room scared out of her mind. Her brother was babysitting her and her father had come to pick her up but he had blood on his hands, he'd killed his wife and the daughter ran out to get someone before he killed again. Ed called the cops and once they came, the girl told them about the years of abuse she and her brother endured at the man's hands. Ed felt sick. he knew he had to do what he had to do next. When he got his Biomechanics degree, he went into the Police Academy.

He rose top of his class, but his constant riddles didn't make him popular with most of the people he was training with. Ed seemed like an outcast to most of them. He understood that, but he knew his ability to think like he did would make him just as good a cop as any. Riddles exercised his brain to him and a few of his superiors even saw that.

"Nygma, right?" Jim Gordon asked one afternoon when he got done running the obstacle course.

"Yes, Detective Gordon?" Ed asked.

"Bullock and I heard you have a Biomechanics degree and we thought since Dr. Guerrera was out right now, you could take a shot with some blood samples?" Jim asked.

"I'd need permission from the Forensics department and my instructor, but I'm happy to please." Ed said as he eventually got the okay to get down to work. They were impressed with his immediate handling of the Forensics equipment that not even Dr. Guerrera was complaining. He even went on to say later how much of an asset he could be if ever he needed a second set of hands at the Coroner's office. Ed was popular with most of the cops at GCPD, especially when he graduated and became a Rookie on Jim and Harvey's route.

Though, Harvey did like to tease Ed a lot, it was Jim who really took him under his wing. When Harvey pranked Ed by putting a whoopie cushion on his chair before he could sit on it, Jim pranked Harvey by making him sit on a tack. Ed didn't even say a word. Jim answered almost all of Ed's riddles that he gave during the morning carpool. Though Jim didn't really pay attention one morning.

"Jim? Everything okay?" Ed asked.

"Oh yeah, just thinking, Nygma. A little shaken about something." Jim was cryptic. Cryptic always scared Ed, but it was Jim's business if he didn't want to share anything with him. But he tried anyway. Afterall, Jim was his mentor.

"Harvey said you had an altercation with Fish Mooney last night? Care to explain what happened?" Ed asked, trying not to sound shaky.

"Mooney is not someone I want to talk about right now, Ed." Jim said, even more jittery than Ed was. "Let's talk about something else. I hear you've been talking to Miss Kringle, the archivist." Jim smiled at Ed as the younger man blushed a bit.

"She's in need of some compassion, I sense Sgt. Dougherty, who's been dating her for two years now? Is beating her. I see it often, bruise marks on her arms, she's been wearing sunglasses more often and she uses concealer during her lunch break. She says it's for a big date with him, but..." Ed sighed.

"You haven't collected evidence on the matter?" Jim asked.

"She IS the evidence, Sir. But I can't convince her to talk to someone in GCPD who isn't buddies with Dougherty." Ed said as he sank down in his seat next to Jim.

"If you want, Ed, Harvey and I have some free time. We can talk to her." Jim said with a smile. In that relief, Ed thanked him as they pulled in at the station.

...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
Eventually, Tom was found on multiple counts of domestic abuse and Ed was credited in the arrest. Kristen was brave to tell Harvey and Jim everything when they asked her what Tom had been doing to her, breaking down in Jim's arms. When she learned Ed talked to Jim, she knew he knew and needed to know how. She went over to Ed later and thanked him for helping her, asking if he would like to go out on a date, but he declined. He did invite her in to have a nice, casual dinner with him though.

"So I must ask." She said as they dined over a nice sparkling white grape juice and a Chicken Kiev. "How did you know Tom was abusing me? I mean I know you're astute and all, but I did my best to hide it all the time."

"So did I when I was in school. My dad was abusive, used to beat me and break every bone in my body. One time, I was trying to hide the bruises with my mom's concealer but my father caught me. He accused me of being as they said in the 1950's, a fairy, then proceeded to try and throw me out the window in an attempt to make me "fly". I was in the hospital for two months." Ed said as he drained his wine flute of juice.

"Oh, Ed. I'm so sorry." Kristen said as she reached out and cupped the tall man's cheek. Ed acknowledged the contact, but after the brief brush of fingers, he just as easily dismissed it but thanked her for the kind apology.

"Oh I've been meaning to get a hold of a counselor at the Gotham center for abuse survivors. I went there when I was in college. They will want you to get a hold of them as soon as you can, they'll help you get through the PTSD that'll come." Ed said. Kristen took the number, thanked him again, kissed his cheek and left. Ed blushed but wanted Kristen to find her own person. Yet the kiss made him remember that even if he found his own person after he had recovered from the abuse, he was still alone in the world and lonely for it.

"I need someone." He sighed as he looked out the window, into the night sky.


	2. Enter Oswald

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald arises from the murky waters of the Gotham docks, kills a fisherman, plots revenge on Fish and sees Jim as on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured this would have a scramble of events between the first two seasons. Hopefully, it doesn't take away from the fun of reading this fic. Please don't forget to comment.

Meanwhile, Oswald had survived being shot at under the murky and dirty waters of the docks. He emerged drenched, cold and muddy. He stole the clothes off a fisherman he mercilessly killed with his own fishing hook and then went to wash up at his mother's. She never asked questions to him about what had happened, but she did see he needed medical attention. He said he'd get it looked at later but for now, he needed to lie low and needed the both of them to do that. She understood and said little to no peep about him dropping by.

"I promise to visit later, Mother." Oswald said as he kissed Gertrud on the forehead and went on to do his scheme against Fish and Mayor James. But first, he needed to get in touch with Jim.  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
Back at the station, Ed was yawning over a cup of coffee looking at the pictures of Bruce's parents' crime scene. Bruce trusted him just as much as Jim to find out who did this. Jim's vow to get the bastard was Ed's as well.

"How goes the look-over, Ed? You could use another cup." Jim said as he handed Ed a cup of coffee with plenty of sugar and cream.

"Thanks." Ed said as he blew on the coffee and then took a sip. It wasn't as hot as it usually would be but mostly because of the use of the cold cream they kept in the fridge. Ed continued on looking at photos from the crime scene and going over the evidence when Jim got a call.

"Gordon." Jim answered.

"Hello, Jim. Just calling to thank you for sparing me." Oswald said. Jim's eyes widened as they did that one day he rode the carpool with Ed. "Metro Crimes doesn't need to know I'm alive yet, but you need to know some things. Can we meet?" Os asked.

"What place?" Jim asked as he got a pen and paper out.

"A dark alleyway behind Maroni's. I just began working Don Maroni after saving bags of money. It's a long story." Oswald said. "Come alone or bring someone you trust, anyone but Bolluck, was it?" Oswald lilted before hanging up.

"Do you know of Maroni's?" Jim asked Ed when he got disconnected and hung up himself.

"When I have enough money to go there, I get the Veal Parm with Fettuccine there. Why?" Ed asked.

"There's something I need to tell you." Jim said as he took his mentee to the squad car.  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
When they got to Maroni's, a hand signalled them over.

"Ah, you brought the rookie. I've heard of your work." Oswald said.

"You're Oswald Cobblepot, the man who was said to have gone missing the night Jim went to see Fish Mooney." Ed said. "I knew you wouldn't have killed him, Jim. But why didn't you tell anyone you didn't?" Ed was confused.

"GCPD is corrupt, Ed. Oswald and Fish pointed that out to me pretty blatantly." Jim said.

"He had to fake my death, make it look like he shot at me when he didn't really. Though I did get grazed. But I don't fault him.

"Here, I have some medical supplies in the squad car, I should probably treat that graze wound before it gets infected." Ed said.

"Medical supplies?" Jim asked.

"My degree in Biomechanics was a double major in medical studies. My main plan was to become either a doctor or a Biomechanical engineer before I decided to go to the Academy." Ed said as he treated the wound with a sterile wipe and then poured rubbing alcohol before dipping a needle in rubbing alcohol and lighting with a lighter he had in the kit to sterilize it before suturing the graze with temporary stitches.

"That stitch thread will dissolve in about a week or two. Keep it dry and I'll also recommend you take pain meds. Do you react negatively to Aleve or Advil?" Ed asked. Jim was just shocked.

"I've never needed to take any of those, actually. But thank you." Oswald then took his arm away from Ed as he proceeded to tell Jim about what he told MCU and then told him what information he's been getting from Falcone and Maroni. He even learned what Fish had been doing since she tried to have him killed.

"I'll keep it in mind." Jim said, Ed having written everything down when he finished packing his supplies back up.

"I'll bring you medications later, where do you currently live?" Ed asked as turned to Oswald before leaving.

"I don't really have one." Oswald said. "You supersede your reputation, Officer Nygma." Oswald said flatteringly. Ed blushed as Oswald told him he'd keep in touch with him as much as he can and went back inside Maroni's. Ed caught his breath and went back in the car.

"So how's Barbara?" Ed asked, trying to sound like he's gonna forget everything but not really.

"She's good. I think she is, anyway. Oh we have a witness who saw Bruce's parents get shot. Selina Kyle." Jim said.

"She and Bruce should talk sometime. He needs someone to relate to, they could benefit from a symbiotic friendship. Building each other up." Ed said as Jim nodded.  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
8 months later, when everything fell out of proportion with Oswald and the families, someone killed Dougherty in his cell. Everyone suspected Ed did it given how open he was about his abusive past. Ed swore he didn't do it. However, DNA evidence presumed otherwise. Kristen, who bettered her life and became a cop as well, wanted to believe him and helped him in sorting out who could've been responsible.

"It could be a frame-up." Kristen said.

"I believe the same, but with just MY DNA on file, I haven't really made enemies. Except Harvey after he found out Jim trusted me over him about learning that Oswald was alive." Ed said.

"I'm gonna try and check medical records. Maybe your parents never told you about family secrets." Kristen said as she went to the hospital and with staff's permission, looked through Ed's medical files. She then saw a file reading that Identical twin boys were given to the Nygmas, but Ed's real last name was revealed to be Nashton. Kristen said she'd ask Ed about that later, but called him anyway.

"Nygma." Ed answered as Kristen spoke.

"Ed, is Nashton your real last name?" Kristen asked.

"Yeah, but I changed it to Nygma because I didn't want to be associated with my father." Ed explained.

"That's what I thought." Kristen said as she explained what she found next.

"So your mother was given Identical twin sons when you were born. But Child Protective Services must've figured that both twins would be in danger at your dad's hand because he had a son from a previous marriage who tried to warn them that they were in trouble. That son from a previous marriage later went missing and was found bludgeoned to death. Child Protective Services only had power to take one kid away, leaving you to be raised by your parents." Kristen said.

"So this whole time, I've had a brother." Ed said, amazed. "But what could drive him to kill if he's responsible for Dougherty's death?" Ed asked.

"I don't know, I'm gonna find out though." Kristen said as she disconnected and upon finishing her research, stumbled upon a lab tech who looked like Ed but wasn't. The telltale sign being no glasses.

"Sorry." Kristen said.

"No, no. It's my fault." He said, smiling half as charming as Ed would, but a little more deviously.

"I should get going now." Kristen said as Not Ed grabbed her arm.

"No, my dear. you will be coming with me." Not Ed said as he chloroformed her and snuck out as carefully as he could with her. When Ed got another call back, he casually answered it, thinking it WAS Kristen.

"Hey, Kristen. Did you find out anything yet?" Ed asked, rubbing his eyes.

"No, little brother. But you soon will." Ed froze in shock and grabbed a pen and paper as he told him to come alone to his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLOT TWIST! Ed has a twin brother. Hope you enjoy and please comment.


	3. Paths crossed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed comes face to face with his evil twin, who kidnapped Kristen AND Oswald as we find out. Then we find out why he's been framing Ed.

Ed had no choice but to keep Jim out of the loop. Though little did he know Jim already knew of the dire circumstances. He'd been tracking his work phone, his patrol car and his apartment since Dougherty was found dead. He knew Ed wouldn't jeopardize his career to take the law into his own hands, but no one believed him. He just wanted to be sure. He was never more sure when he heard Ed called by a voice that sounded more devious than Ed's but sounded LIKE Ed's voice. He followed Ed to the apartment, and Jim saw Ed noticed that Jim was following him.

"He said I had to come alone." Ed said as he walked over to Jim's car.

"I know, I just need evidence that you didn't really do that to Dougherty." Jim said. "Ed, I believed you the whole time but GCPD, IAB and MCU are all breathing down my neck. I can't get a hold of Oswald either. I visited him at Arkham, they said a figure that looked like you took him out of there." Jim worriedly frowned as Ed heard a yelp of pain similar to Oswald's.

"Get back-up, I'll be fine with them." Ed said as he ran in and went to investigate what the twin was doing.

"Ah, little brother. Just in time." The evil twin said as he let go of Oswald's leg, which was twisted and gnarled more than Fish ever did on the dock.

"Why are you doing this? What caused you to do this?" Ed asked.

"My adoptive parents were far worse than our dear old dad. When we were born, he broke my face almost in the same style he bludgeoned our half-brother to death when he reported Daddy to CPS. Yet I got sent to foster care and you got to stay with them." He explained. "My adoptive dad psychologically toyed with me, and my mom just told me to go with the flow. She never did a thing to protect me. Maybe it was out of fear or maybe it was because she was strung out of her mind half the time I was there. Mostly on Meth, sometimes it was cocaine. Then she'd take the money I earned when I was 14 making paper deliveries to buy more. She spared no beatings either." The evil twin spat as he then took a full look at Ed for the first time. "You changed your last name to Nygma, mine's Lidell. Edwin Lidell. I did research on you, little brother. I too looked at the files, working during the day as a lab tech at the hospital we were born in gave me access to the files about my birth. Oh, sorry, our birth. I wanted you to feel what I felt. I had things taken away from me at the hands of my parents, Edward. It is still Edward, right?" Edwin asked.

"I suffered like you suffered, but I used that pain to do right for others who are weaker than the bully or the abusive parent. You could change. Arkham could fix you." Ed said as he tried to talk his brother down from doing the wrong thing.

"Nah, I'd much rather we be at the bottom together." Edwin said as he then stabbed Kristen in the stomach.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" Ed screamed as Edwin continued to carve into Kristen until gunshots were fired, subduing Edwin. Ed ran over to Kristen as the rest of GCPD stormed Ed's apartment and carried Edwin away, paramedics ready to take him in a stretcher. It was obviously too late for Kristen. The wounds ran too deep, and she was losing blood fast.

"Ed, I have a sister. She doesn't know about me, we were separated at birth. I tracked her down. Please take care of her if you bump into her." Kristen gargled as she died in his arms. Ed started breaking down as Oswald was cut down and he hobbled over to Ed, in pain but happy to be free.

"That twin brother of yours posed as you for weeks and visited me often, then hired people to kill my mother after he chloroformed me and told me I was his hostage now." Oswald explained his side of what went down. "He told me to change into decent clothes at the location where they took her and when I went to freshen up, I saw her dead." Tears in his eyes started forming as he grieved for his mother, Ed comforting him as they went to give their testimonies.  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
Ed was given two months mandatory leave and was cleared of all charges seeing as Identical Twins have the same DNA. He buried Kristen in a favorite place where she loved to go in the woods as a girl. Jim and Harvey helped him. When he came back after the leave, they were on a stakeout in that same wooded area and there was still no sign of Oswald in a while. They spotted the perp and Ed lead the way through foot chase down to where Kristen was buried and Oswald, who had been killing for clothing again, helped apprehend the perp by stabbing him in the ankle rather quickly.

Ed stood shocked and surprised at the same time. "Oswald?" Ed asked.

"Edward. Hi, how are you?" Oswald gave a pained grin. Not at the sight of seeing Ed, but at the feeling in his leg since it was aggravated by Edwin when he was kidnapped.

"Fine. Look, why don't you stay behind that tree, and I'll come get you when I can?" Ed asked as Oswald agreed.

"Sure. It's not like I have a home anymore." Oswald laughed out as he panted more in pain. When Ed got back in the car with the perp, who was told not to mumble a word of what was exchanged or he'd have no chance of donating to a sperm bank, he texted Jim privately of the situation and Jim said he'd take care of the perp on his own with Harvey and asked if he needed another car sent out.

"No, I think I got it from here. I'll just call a cab." Ed said.

"Alright, then. Goodnight, Ed." Jim said, leaving Harvey confused about the whole situation. When Ed came back to Oswald, Os was in shock and freezing. Ed knew he needed to get him to his apartment fast. So he picked the shorter man up, something Os hated but just would have to tolerate for now because he was in so much pain and he needed some sort of comfort. Ed thumbed a taxi and sat Os and himself in before he gave the cabbie his address. They drove off and Ed held Os close, trying to bring his core body temp back up. Os was really grateful for the gesture. His mother used to do that for him when he was a baby and the apartment they shared was really cold during winter nights. Os fell asleep and dreamed of his mother doing this. He started crying when he started having a nightmare of his four-year-old self looking around to see Gertrud wasn't in the bed with him. He went to look for her and then opened the door-the same door Os found her dead body behind-and screamed No Mommy No as his adult self did the same and then Ed brought him back to reality.

"Oswald, it's okay. I'm here. I'm here, you're safe." Ed cooed in Os's ear when the cabbie made it to Ed's building.

"Ed?" Oswald cried as he clung to Ed's uniform. "Please don't let me go. I don't want to lose you. You're the first person who's ever cared for me knowing who I am since my mother and I don't want to lose you too." Oswald was downright sobbing now as Ed got out of the cab and then picked him up again to carry him inside.  
...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................  
When they got in Ed's apartment, Ed let Oswald take his bed while Ed took the couch. He had Oswald strip and he gave him warm pajamas that didn't quite fit him but were warm and clean for the shorter man.

"I hope you don't mind, I'm gonna take a look at your leg." Ed said as he looked at Oswald's foot and the ligaments that were affected from Fish's vicious attack and what Edwin, who was safely away in Arkham, had done to him to get him to make a sound.

"You're gonna need a brace. I'll take you to get one in the morning. I know a doctor who used to work at Arkham, Dr. Tompkins. She'll fit you in one." Ed said as he draped a blanket over Oswald.

"I'm hungry." Oswald said tiredly.

"I'll make you some chicken broth and then tomorrow, we'll get some solid food in you. In the meantime, you're as tired as you're hungry and that's why you're getting broth." Ed explained as he cooked and handed Os the broth and offered a couple Aspirin. Os popped the meds in his mouth and then washed it down with the broth.

"Thank you." Oswald said as he smiled kindly at the cop who saved him from Hypothermia.

"You're very welcome. Now you need to sleep." Ed said as Oswald finished the broth and fell asleep fast. Ed admired Oswald as he went to wash the mug Os drank the broth in.

Jim texted him later to check up on him and Ed told him his plans. Jim said he'd cover and told him to take the rest of the week off. Ed didn't know what he'd do without Jim and he now had all the time he needed to care for a though wanted fugitive, also a broken and needy anti-ally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know how you're liking this so far. Don't forget to comment. Please?


	4. Oswald's family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ed takes some of Oswald's blood and finds out he's an heir to one of Gotham's most prominent families.

Over the next few days, Oswald did well on the brace. He was walking around Ed's apartment without assistance, he was on a better regimen of pain meds that Ed oversaw while he was working. He even called Oswald every few hours to make sure he was doing as Os was asked of him by Ed when it came to his medication.

"It makes me feel groggy though." Oswald said as he finally took his morning pain pill." I can't focus on that stuff when I have exploring to do." Oswald complained.

"It's only until it stops hurting. Don't walk on it too much. I'm afraid the strain you already put it through may have already caused permanent damage. You need to be careful or you could cause more." Ed explained.

"Alright, fine." Oswald said.

"If you want, I can bring you something to eat when I get home." Ed said with a little smile.

"Chinese sounds wonderful. I love the spicy mustard." Oswald smiled back.

"Chinese it is. I won't forget to ask for the spicy mustard." Ed said as he disconnected. He lightly chuckled and smiled to himself. Jim and Harvey looked at him and Harvey decided to jab him a bit.

"Hey, Nygma. What's eating you? You're smiling so bright, you could light Gotham Harbor." Harvey said. "Are you over Kringle's death already?" Jim punched Harvey lightly on the arm.

"Knock it off, Harv. It's obvious Ed's happy. He deserves it too." Jim said as Ed smiled brighter. "How's your project coming along?" Jim asked both cryptically and about a case they were working on together.

"Pretty well. The victims were lifted off with weather balloons." Ed explained. "The killer keeps his victims ascended with the balloons until they reach the stratosphere and then the vics have suffocated when the balloons pop and their bodies turn up after three days, dropping down so they're discovered." Ed then showed a 3D demonstration.

"Nice." Jim said. "I mean the deaths aren't but the demonstration is. Thanks, Ed." Jim said as he ran with Harvey to continue tracking where this deemed "Balloon man" will strike next. Meanwhile, Ed's shift ended and went back to see Oswald in his apartment. When Ed got there with the Chinese and the spicy mustard, of course, Oswald was asleep and Ed smiled. The scene was serene in nature and Oswald looked at peace and smiling. He almost didn't want to wake him, but he wanted him to eat before his next pain pill.

"Oswald. Oswald, wake up, Oswald." Ed cooed as the shorter man stretched and yawned, his eyes opening on a charming sight, Ed in his vicinity, home with dinner, he supposed.

"Mornin' Sleepyhead." Ed said as Oswald smiled at him. "I brought dinner. You hungry?"

"Always. It all smells divine." Oswald smiled as he stretched again and got up on crutches to get over to the table.

"So how was your day?" Oswald started when they were halfway through the meal. "A lot of crazy phenomena?"

"A man is killing victims, presumably huge pricks, by handcuffing them to weather balloons, leaving them to suffocate in the stratosphere before the balloon pops in the heat of that layer and then forcing their bodies to come down hard." Ed explained. "Nothing pertaining to Bruce's parents' killers, I'm afraid. But there may be clues yet." Ed smiled. "In the meantime, we have Miss Kyle's testimony and she's staying with Bruce and Alfred for a while. I think Bruce has a crush on her."

"It's understandable." Oswald said. "So I was thinking about my mother." Oswald changed the subject.

"Oh?" Ed asked, curious.

"Her apartment's still closed off to the public and there's some items I need from there. Photo books and family heirlooms. Her presence feels bare without them." Oswald sighed.

"Unfortunately, everything she owned has been taken by GCPD as evidence. They found the bastards who were hired by Edwin though. If you want, I can run your DNA through CODIS and maybe it can be a match to someone whose family's already in the system." Ed offered.

"Go ahead, I think they might still have my DNA on file at Arkham." Oswald said as he dug his fork into another bite of his Chinese. After dinner, Ed took Oswald'd DNA regardless of what records were on Os at Arkham and the next day got to work matching his DNA through CODIS.

Three hours of processing later, Ed found a match to an important family of Gotham.

"Hey, Nygma. Jim and I are going to Maroni's for lunch. Wanna join? Veal Parm's on him." Harvey coaxed.

"Actually, I'm working during lunch today, maybe next month." Ed passed as he walked out and went to his squad car.

"Ed, what're you working lunch for?" Jim asked.

"You know how I'm nursing Oswald Cobblepot back to health?" Ed started, Jim nodding. "Well as it turns out, he's been feeling a deep loss of his mother's presence since she died and I thought I'd try and find any family links he might have that he never knew he had before." Ed explained.

"Have you found any yet?" Jim asked.

"I may have, you know the Van Dahl family?" Ed asked.

"Sure, one of Gotham's oldest families. Wait, you don't think Oswald comes from there." Jim claimed in shock.

"Only one way to find out." Ed said as he went over to the Van Dahl mansion.  
.................................................................  
When Ed arrived, the first thing he did was lift the knocker on the door.

"Hello?" A bittersweet voice came out of a woman looking to be in her early 50's. Ed showed her his badge and asked for Elijah.

"Officer Edward Nygma, ma'am. And you are?"

"Grace Van Dahl, Elijah's wife. He's in the study. Tell me though, Officer. What seems to be the reason you're here?" Grace asked.

"I believe this matter's between myself and your husband, Mrs. Van Dahl." Ed said as she went to get Elijah.  
.................................................................  
When Elijah first came out and intros were done, Elijah explained what had been between him and Gertrud.

"She was my first love. I protected her through most of her time living here. But my parents wanted me to marry Noble blood. Once they found out we were together, my father threw her out and sent me to boarding school. My mother sent her money though once Gertrud had wrote me that we had a son together. However, my mother lied about whether or not Gertrud kept him. I always knew she had too delicate a heart to do that." Elijah clutched his heart as he felt it break over the loss of his Gertrud and the loss of time they could've had together. "Are you my son or do you know him?" Elijah asked when he returned to the present.

"Your son, sir, is recovering from injuries sustained over two years. I plan to bring him back here tomorrow during my day off." Ed said with a comforting smile.

"Thank you. Oh, thank you." Elijah cooed as tears started to stain his face, Ed comforting him as much as he could. His visit was brief and as a result of that, the workday got shorter. When he came back from the station, Ed was slackjawed to see Jim making out with Dr. Thompkins.

"Chmhmm!" Ed cleared his throat as the two noticed him and tore away.

"Oh, Ed. I didn't know you were back so soon." Jim said.

"I didn't know you had gotten so cozy to Dr. Thompkins. Can I see you?" Ed asked as they walked away from Leslie.

"What are you doing? What if Barbara finds out you're-" Ed started.

"You didn't hear? Montoya and Barbara are togthether. Have been for about a week. She was convinced I killed Oswald even when I didn't." Jim said, Ed patting his back. "It's my fault, I should've told her sooner. But I needed to protect him in case Fish found him again."

"No, I understand the situation, Jim." Ed said as Jim went back to Leslie and Ed went home. When he did, Oswald had made himself a couple Tuna salad sandwiches.

"Hey, I didn't know if you'd make dinner so I thought I'd have a semi-light snack. Would you like some?" Oswald asked innocently.

"Sure, but I'll only have a sliver of Tuna salad. I'm gonna take what's left of the Chinese and make a conglomerate made with a little egg and some vegetable I bought two days ago. You need dairy, protein and greens in your diet." Ed said as Oswald gave a small smile.

.................................................................  
After dinner, Ed told Oswald he had found a living relative, but when he told him who it was, Oswald scoffed.

"My father is one of the weathiest men in Gotham? I can't believe it." Oswald said.

"It's true, you're technically a Van Dahl." Ed said. "I even have the DNA evidence to prove it. I met your stepmother, she seems indifferent to your father but you can be the judge of that tomorrow." Ed said as he gave Oswald his meds.

"We're meeting them tomorrow?" Oswald asked. He suddenly got shaky and took a deep breath.

"He wants to see you, he cares about you and he definitely loved your mother." Ed smiled and patted Oswald's knee. "It'll be okay, Oswald. I'll be here and I'll make sure you and him will get along." Oswald calmed down and smiled. He hugged Ed and thanked him again for what he's been doing for him.  
.................................................................  
The ride to Van Dahl Manor was exciting and nerve wracking simultaneously. At least it was for Oswald.

"How much longer?" Oswald asked, Ed chuckling at how antsy Oswald could get.

"We've got this stretch of road to go before we're here." Ed said as he smiled quickly at Os for a second. Once they reached the stretch of driveway road to the house, Oswald was in awe of it.

"Wow." Oswald said as he got out of the car.

"I know." Ed agreed as he got out and walked to Oswald's side of the car to help him. Once he had helped him out, they walked to the door together but instead of Grace answering, it was a younger woman who did. She had to be in her early 20's. She was thin, tall and confident in her posture like Grace was.

"Hello?" The younger woman asked.

"Hello, I'm Officer Edward Nygma and this is Oswald Cobblepot, we're here to see Mr. Van Dahl." Ed said.

"Oh, you must be the cop Mommy told me about last night. I'm Sasha, Daddy's in the study with my brother and Mommy and Olga are making lunch in the kitchen. Come on, I'll give you all a tour." Sasha offered with a sweet demeanor. She showed Oswald and Ed the lounge room, the kitchen where she introduced Oswald to Grace and Olga, who seemed a bit nicer to Oswald than Grace despite her Russian attitude, and all of the bedrooms. Oswald wondered which of them he could've been conceived in.

"Finally, we have Daddy's study." Sasha said as she took Ed and Oswald to the room Ed met with Elijah in the day before.

"Ah, Officer Nygma. You brought him. Sasha, did you give them a tour before you brought them to me?" Elijah asked, wondering what was keeping Ed and Oswald.

"Sorry, Daddy. You know how hospitable I try to be with new visitors." Sasha explained.

"It's fine." Elijah smiled.

"I'm Charles. I've heard about how Father met your mother but Grandfather and Grandmother were worse than Lady Tremaine from Cinderella." Charles said.

"What?" Oswald and Sasha asked simultaneously.

"You heard Mother and Father argue about it last night." He reminded Sasha. "After Father came back from finding Gertrud Kapelput's grave. He told Mother about her and then Mother found that Oswald's the killer from all those papers." Charles told them both. "Don't worry, you're welcome here even if Mother doesn't believe you are." That was directed at Oswald, who felt a little relieved.

"That's good to know." Ed said. Soon enough, Elijah shooed the two out and offered Ed and Oswald a seat.

"You look just like me in my youth, yet you have a gentleness like your mother." Elijah smiled as he took a thorough look at Oswald.

"I've seen darkness in the past, too. You have no worries about getting banished or anything, just as Charles has stated."

"So my grandmother threw away any and all communication between you and my mother?" Oswald asked.

"At my father's behest. But he realized later it was a mistake. For you see he and my mother had fallen in love, gotten married. The fact that they were both of noble blood was an amplification of bond. I only wanted to marry for love and even asked your mother to marry me. Before she could answer, they caught us and I was shipped off to Boarding school before I could stand up to them and she had already been sent away." Elijah clenched his heart again and just in the nick of time, Charles came with his medicines.

"Father has some conditions we have to keep in check with pills. Here, Father. I have them all sorted out." Charles said as he gave Elijah a cup and some water.

"Thank you, Charles." Elijah said as Charles went back to the other room to check on lunch.

"Some years after I graduated from Boarding school and my father killed himself, I met Grace. She was a waitress, but she was also a Noble blooded woman. And a divorcée. I took her, Charles and Sasha in. They're not too spoiled but they do do their best to be polite in the off chance they sound like they are." Elijah said. Oswald and Ed nodded understandingly. Elijah then noticed something about Ed and how he was so close to Oswald and how overwhelmed the latter seemed by all he had found out.  
.................................................................  
After a satisfying lunch of Stroganof and Spaetzle, Os was talking with his new stepbrother and stepsister when Elijah called Ed into the study again. When Ed got there, Elijah was holding an elegant diamond ring between his fingers.

"Mr. Van Dahl?" Ed asked as he approached the older man who seemed to be stuck in a reverie.

"Ah, Edward. I would like you to have this." Elijah said as he set the ring back in the box and handed Ed the box. "This is the ring I was proposing to Gertrud with when my parents caught us. I want you to keep it for Oswald. I can see it in your body language. You care about my son, and I trust you with his wellbeing." Elijah smiled as Ed took the ring and bowed his head to him.

"I promise to take care of him, Sir." Ed said as he shook the older man's hand and took the ring.

.................................................................  
When it came time to leave, Olga-at Elijah's behest-packed up some extra spaetzle for Oswald and Ed to take for their meal the rest of the week and they parted with hugs and wishes for them to visit again. Oswald was smiling when he was in the car.

"I have worries about Grace, but Sasha and Charles seem really nice." Oswald was saying to Ed about the visit. But Ed wasn't focused on his dear friend's words. Instead, his mind was wrapped around the box in his coat pocket.

"Ed? You okay? You look like you're lost in something." Oswald said when he noticed that Ed hadn't paid attention to anything.

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine." Ed said as he pulled over to talk to Oswald properly. "Your father and I had a private conversation while you were with Sasha and Charles, and it made me realize something. I've been smiley at work, happy about getting home to you." Ed blushed as he started confessing this to Oswald. "When I'm with you, I feel a wholeness I never thought I'd feel after I suffered from child abuse for years." Ed then took Oswald's hand and kissed it before Oswald began to tremble and began to throw himself onto Ed, grabbing his head and kissing him deeply.

"Oh, Ed. You have no idea how happy you make me." Oswald said once he detatched from the kind cop. "I feel the same way I make you feel, it's all for you and I love you." Oswald squeed as he pulled Ed in again. After about a minute, they detatched yet again and Ed drove home as fast and as safe as he could (he was a cop afterall and he had to uphold the law-including the speed limit) and once they were home, they put the Spaetzle away, finished the conglomerate and spent the rest of the night giving themselves to each other, making love all kinds of ways until they collapsed from sleepiness.

Ed felt even more whole in his life than ever, surrounded in Oswald's arms and with Oswald surrounded in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full-on sex scene in the next chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> So I decided to turn this into a multi-chap fic because though I have until September 1st to finish this, it might take a long while to get it out. I still hope you enjoy regardless and PLEASE don't forget to comment.


End file.
